


Never Say Never Again

by Dzuljeta



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reunions, Romance, Surprises, Telepathy, Time Lady Rose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-06-17 08:55:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15457740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dzuljeta/pseuds/Dzuljeta
Summary: The Doctor meets and befriends a beautiful young woman. The only thing Donna doesn't understand is why he does not want to invite her to travel with them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BBC owns everything.

**Never Say Never Again**

**1.**

 

Donna Noble has only caught a glimpse of her here and there. The woman capable of making the Doctor grin without a reason whenever he saw her.

The young fair-haired woman did not seem to be against answering a lot of Donna's questions without looking terribly bothered, as long as those had nothing to do with disclosing her identity. The fiery companion was happy about that, imagining it has only been a matter of time until the Doctor has decided to invite her along.

No such thing happened.

After another day of the Spaceman behaving like someone with troubled teenager-like psychological issues, the only question left for her to ask was why the Spaceman hasn't invited the lovely girl to travel with them by now.

“Why do you ask?” has been his surprised response.

“You two look close,” Donna managed, surprised she hasn’t given him the question sooner. “Like a couple of best friends, actually.”

The Doctor exhaled, as if unable to believe in her words.

It has been way too long for him, Donna could say. The way in which he has greeted the girl has felt casual for approximately half a minute.

“I'd expect so,” the Doctor eyed her quizzically, not willing to pretend any longer.

“Is it love? Or family? Or friendship?”

“All of these,” the Doctor spoke evenly, hating to be attacked like this, yet his eyes were sparkling. “Or perhaps none of these,” he has hurried to correct himself, just in case Rose has still had doubts in his never truly expressed intentions towards her.

“I am delighted to see you excited like this about someone,” the redhead spoke honestly.

“As am I,” he smiled, relieved.

“Why don't you invite her to travel with us?” Donna was surprised he hasn't. “It seems to me she makes you happy!”

The Doctor looked away. “I don't deserve her.”

“Don't be an idiot,” the ginger chastised him. “This girl makes me think of how you and your Rose might have been. Am I right?”

The Time Lord stared at her, unable to hide his surprise. “What do you mean by _that_?”

“I didn't mean-” Donna grew defensive. “Besides, you have said this girl was your-”

He looked at her pleadingly.

“No, I'm not stopping!” She warned him seriously. “If this girl is someone who makes you so excited, you _must_ find her again and invite her along!” _Or I will._

“I don't need to,” he said. “Let's return to the TARDIS,” his sharp voice has allowed no objections.

“The hell, Doctor? Are you running away from your happiness?”

“Not this time,” he said, opening the TARDIS door hurriedly.

The said woman was grinning at them both.

“It's just like you said,” the Doctor smiled at her softly. “Living apart doesn’t work well for the two of us,” he spoke assuringly.

“We have tried,” the blonde woman whispered, looking uncomfortable. She hadn’t expected she would need to be the one giving explanations.

Donna was puzzled. “How-”

“The galaxy thinks we have failed,” the Time Lord finished.

“But?”

“We’re here and we’re together. Does this look like we have failed?”

Donna beamed at them. “Absolutely not. Now, how about you finally introduce yourself?”

 

“Some might call me Marion-”

The Doctor looked at his pink and yellow companion fearfully, her excitement sometimes bringing about curious ideas.

“Nice to meet you-”

“No, only Mum used to call me that, Rose beamed at the fiery companion.

“The name’s Rose,” she spoke, her excitement only increasing with every passing moment.

Donna eyed them both dubiously. “You don’t mean-”

“She does,” the Doctor shrugged, surprised about Donna remaining relatively unmoved.

“Yeah,” Rose smiled, not looking at the redhead. She has met enough mistrust inside the parallel universe.  “I think it’s best for me to take a bath or at least a shower to wash off every trace of Pete’s World, m?” She addressed the Time Lord fondly, half-expecting for what has followed.

“You can’t do this to me, Rose! I have been craving to finally see you again, every passing moment since… since the bloody Norway, and you think now is the best time to lock yourself up inside your bathroom?”

Donna Noble looked at Rose worriedly, ready to accept the fact the Doctor’s long lost lover has returned, just like that.

“Is the Spaceman always like this with you? Rose?” The older companion wa greatly surprised. The alien has never given away his feelings quite so openly before!

“In a way,” the girl exhaled, not wanting to tell the woman that no, neither of them has ever _dared_ to be the way they might have wanted to be.

Rose smiled at the Doctor challengingly instead. “Have I ever stopped you from joining me, Doctor? Why should I do so now?” She was clearly enjoying herself.

 _What?_ The Time Lord has had no choice but to join her in the risky game. “What?” He mouthed the word to her, getting an apologetic look in return from her. “Sorry.”

“So, as I see it, you two are going to share a bathroom now,” Donna has cleared her throat. “Forgive me if I ask of you to never, ever share this uncomfortable bit of information with me in the future!” The woman has realised she would likely need to get used to a lot of things changing aboard with the Doctor’s Rose finally here.

The Time Lord sent the ginger companion a knowing look. “According to one Captain we know, it all depends on just how rotten one’s mind is,” he shrugged, meeting an appreciative look on Rose’s face. “We can’t promise anything, right, darling?”

“Don’t listen to him,” the girl grinned. “He has told me we were never going to meet again. Had told me he was never going to leave me behind, in the first place-”

“Rose-” The Doctor was only gaping at her now. How could she look and sound so unaffected by all the mistakes _he_ has made! “I-”

 _Be sorry all you like, Doctor. But not now. Now, I am going to take a long bath. If we want to keep Donna on edge, you_ must _keep me company._

The Doctor looked at her, startled. "I thought... believed we have removed every trace of your nature threatening to change, every time!"

"Remember, there have been times when we have been too exhausted to-"

He nodded, chuckling at the changed situation between them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously...**

_The Doctor looked at her, startled. "I thought... believed we have removed every trace of your nature threatening to change, every time!"_

_"Remember, there have been times when we have been too exhausted to-"_

_He nodded, chuckling at the changed situation between them._

* * *

 

**Never Say Never Again**

**2.**

 

“Does this amuse you?” Rose asked him softly.

“Shouldn’t it?”

 _I wasn’t kidding, you know. I am going to take a bath right now. Are you sure you want to be there?_ Rose looked at him dubiously.

“Only if _you_ want me to,” the Doctor breathed, understanding he has always been ready to do whatever it was she wanted.

Rose exhaled. “We _need_ to.”

The Time Lord nodded, his disillusion seen on his face. “I understand,” he said out loud instead.

The girl shrugged at him. “I don’t think you do. _Allons-y,_ Rose grabbed the stunned Doctor by the hand and pulled him into the nearest bathroom, hoping it would be hers.

The Time Lord exhaled. “I don’t feel you want for me to join you for reasons other than showing Donna how close we are to each other,” he admitted.

“Don’t be a fool, Doctor. I have only agreed to your efforts to stop my transformation from progressing every time because I could see how relieved it was making you,” Rose said, her words quiet.

“Rose-”

_Don’t you understand? I love you. Need you. If you’re suddenly unsure, it’s all right-_

“Rose.”

“What?”

_I have just realised - we have no clothes to change into, after-_

Rose beamed at him, hit with a realisation. He intended to stay.

“I have my dressing-gown. You have your almighty sonic screwdriver.”

“Funny. I thought you might still have the dressing-gown meant for me somewhere nearby?”

The girl blushed, remembering something only known to them both. One of the countless occasions when they were about to cross the invisible border between them… Yet never did.

“Of course,” Rose opened the cupboard which held several dressing-gowns in it and closed it again, smiling knowingly at the Doctor.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” the Time Lord spoke quietly.

“Yet here I am,” Rose sent him a deep passionate look. _And here we are, having willingly locked ourselves inside a bathroom,_ she said, allowing the water from the tap to begin running.

The Doctor looked at her curiously. “Is the running water just for show?”

Rose shook her head. _Is your love just for show?_

The Doctor sighed, knowing the Londoner was always going to succeed in proving her point, as usual.

 _I have made countless mistakes in my life. Losing you again because of my foolishness won’t be one of these,_ he sent her.

Rose smiled at him. “You should turn away right now, Doctor. I need to undress and plunge into the water, hopefully already frothy enough to cover my, well, bits, yeah?”

The Doctor was surprised. Every single thing in her behaviour suggested she was encouraging him to make a move.

Rose looked at him apologetically. “I’m sorry. We have barely ever _kissed._ ” _It’s always the endless flirting, innuendos and unfinished sentences with you, I just-_

The Doctor was struck with the truth of her words. _You just-?_

Rose shrugged at him. “I just can’t allow for the water to cool down, even if I know the old girl’s eager to keep the temperature just as I like it,” she waved her hand for the Doctor to turn away. Rose inhaled and took her time in undressing, one piece of clothing at a time.

“Rose?” His impatience was amusing, yet the girl didn’t quicken her unhurried undressing in the slightest.

“I am to take a bath with you present, Doctor. Trust me, allowing people to see me doing something so personal is not a habit of mine.”

The Time Lord understood his reaction was unjustified. “I understand, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

At that moment, the sound of a splash has made him to turn back to facing the bath with Rose in it. Much against her expectations, hardly anything was covered properly.

“Just my luck,” the Time Lady smiled wryly. _Or yours._

“Would you like me to look away?”

Rose shook her head. “There’s no point. Not now, not any more.”

The Doctor looked at her incredulously.

_Why do you say so?_

The Time Lady blinked at him, her look giving away mischievous sparkles. _I am waiting for you to join me. If you dare!_

The Doctor was stunned. No matter how much time has passed, Rose  Tyler has always kept something up her sleeve. _What?_

Rose exhaled. Maybe she has misunderstood. _I thought I saw something familiar burning in your eyes, I-_

The Doctor cleared his throat. “Love, Rose. That’s what it is. Curiosity. Delight. Surprise. Admiration.”

Rose wasn’t looking at him, suddenly doubting in herself. _Forgive me, Doctor. I don’t know what has come over me, I thought-_

“Close your eyes, Rose,” the Doctor asked her.

“Hm?”

_Trust me._

For several minutes, nothing happened. _Try to make use of your comfortable situation, while you still can, Rose,_ the Doctor’s low voice has reminded her she needed to take care of the primary function of a bath full of water.

Two minutes later, she understood what the Time Lord was having in mind, when his hands were suddenly all over her.

Rose exhaled in relief, giggling, not once allowing herself to focus her attention on the fact the Doctor was wearing nothing. _This isn’t a very good idea, you must know that. We’re still not-_

 _Not a couple? Not in love? Not married?_ The Gallifreyan teased her lightly. _I beg to differ._

The Time Lady was afraid to take a breath all of a sudden. “Yes?”

“I still don’t understand you, Rose,” the Doctor looked at her curiously. “We both know who we are to each other. Know we can’t waste another minute on trying to fix something which doesn’t need fixing!”

Rose breathed out, trying to calm herself down.  _I have never thought you would actually dare to-_

“Are you upset?” The Doctor asked her worriedly. “Has this been too straightforward?”

Rose wasn’t sure what to say to it.


End file.
